Out of the Blue
by DrkVrtx
Summary: After three years, Korra sure does know how to make an appearance.


**Just a fun little something something. **

* * *

><p>"...so as you have seen, gentlemen, the innovations Future Industries proposes to make will revolutionise public transport in Republic City for years to come."<p>

Asami stood tall and confident before the trio of portly men she was convinced had been convinced to invest in her latest project. The slow and clunky railway system that had clung to its decrepit ways since its inception would soon bow out to her economically cleaner, high speed alternative. There was no question in the matter. The eyes of the men were wide and glittering with visions of a shower of yuans the moment they stepped onto the train. Asami kept herself composed however, wary of claiming her success too early, and so she gestured behind her.

"If you will follow me, I'll show you through to the buffet carriage."

And there it was, the look on their faces that definitively told her she was in the money. Asami did well to hide her smirk as she turned to lead the way; the fastest way to a man's promise of investment was via his stomach.

She allowed herself a small, victorious smile as the city flashed by to either side of the carriage, the train smoothly and quietly curving up towards an elevated length of track. Her smile became a frown when the roof of the carriage suddenly started making strange noises. Her frown deepened as she looked up. Was that..._footsteps?_

And that was when all hell broke loose.

Windows shattered all around her, jagged shards spraying into the carriage. Asami instinctively ducked and cradled her head, feeling glass pelt her from every direction. Feet thumped as they touched down on the floor of the carriage. Asami cautiously peeked out from between her arms as the tinkling of falling glass subsided.

More than half a dozen men clothed in matching, featureless grey attire now occupied the carriage along with her and her investors - two of whom were slumped awkwardly across seats in unconsciousness, having being smacked in the head by a pair of sturdy boots coming in through the window. The remaining man was pressed uncomfortably close to Asami and she could smell his mounting panic. Infuriated, she pushed him aside and drew herself to her full height, tossing her hair and scattering errant glass shards as she stepped forward.

"And just who on earth are you?" Asami demanded fiercely, hands on her hips.

The apparent leader of the group stepped forward, tall and unshaven. "Nothing more or less than men with a price," the man replied, his scratchy voice and adolescent leer earning him Asami's ire.

"Then tell me who hired you scum," she said, "I'd like to know where to send the hospital bill once I've cleared you all the hell off my train."

"This train is the reason we're here! Seems liked you've upset the competition, Ms. Sato," the man said, grinning. "We've instructions to...show you why that isn't so good an idea."

"Now, see here," a voice from behind her spoke, and in the next moment Asami felt hands at her arm and shoulder pulling her out of the way. Her hero had seemingly found his courage. "Your conduct reviles me, sinking to the low of threatening a woman," the rotund investor said, pushing out his chest as he stepped fearlessly forward. "I will not stand for it!"

A blow to the jaw ensured he wouldn't. He wobbled on the spot before crumpling into a vast heap at the feet of the man who struck him. The tall man glanced over his shoulder and addressed the others.

"Tear the place apart, gentlemen."

Asami's cry of protest went ignored as the men with prompt enthusiasm and the necessary tools set themselves to the task.

Their leader moved towards her, cracking his knuckles. "Don't worry about them, Ms. Sato. You've me to deal with first."

She scowled and balled her fists. "That shouldn't take too long."

The man's laugh was sinister as he produced and extended a telescopic baton with a flick of the wrist. Asami glanced down at it, mind working furiously to figure out a plan. And as the man advanced on her the door to the buffet carriage behind her opened with a resounding crash, a new voice bellowing into the din of men tearing into the train's furnishings.

"Asami, get down!"

And she had no idea why she instantly obeyed. Asami dropped low into a crouch and a blue blur sailed over her not a moment later. Her eyes bulged wide when she registered what she was seeing. So did the baton-wielding man's, until the sole of a boot slammed into his face with a sickening crunch, lifting him off his feet and sending him sprawling across the floor.

Asami stared up at her saviour, hardly daring to blink or draw breath. "_Korra?_"

The woman turned, wearing that familiar lopsided smile with a fierce light Asami hadn't seen for years in her eyes. "Yup, the one and only."

"Your back!"

Korra cocked her hip and set a hand to rest there. "Indeed I am -"

"No, watch your back!" Asami yelled at her, rising quickly and sweeping Korra aside with her arm.

A man stumbled between them, the failure of his wayward strike to hit a target carrying him forward. Asami turned to escape its path at the last moment, driving a knee upwards into his stomach. Korra, clutching onto the edge of a seat to save herself from falling over entirely, downed him with a chop to the back of the neck.

Both looked up to see they had caught the attention of the rest of the men in the carriage. A flying kick laying out cold their spokesman was likely to do such a thing. Asami glanced at Korra and the younger woman grinned. She felt the first real smile of the day curving her own lips.

In wordless agreement, the two women launched themselves into the fray. Korra nimbly clambered over the seats and threw herself forward feet first into a man's chest. Springing up from off her back with ease, she sent her boot swinging between his legs as he staggered to regain his balance.

Asami, ever prepared, whipped out the trusty Equalist glove from seemingly nowhere and in moments had electricity arcing between her fingers. Ducking to avoid the wild swing of a crowbar, she rose and shocked her opponent into a trembling mess before swiftly moving on to the next.

Behind her, Korra parried a punch with her forearms, directing the man's fist and thus momentum down and away to her right side. Sinking low to follow the natural movement of her body, Korra whipped her fist into the inside of the man's knee. He gave a shout of pain as his leg buckled outwards. Korra slienced him as she rose, sending an elbow careening into his jaw.

Asami found her eyes as the man toppled backward, consciousness stolen from him, and they were back in the Earth Kingdom fighting off a band of thieves. Side by side, back to back, with blood and adrenaline pumping through their veins and a whirlwind of power and sheer skill at their fingertips, there were very few things that could stand in their way. This group of half a dozen or so men definitely did not fit into that category.

The last man to stand his ground regretted doing so. Korra slipped underneath his arm and drove her shoulder into his chest, pushing him right into the path of a spinning kick that sliced across his cheek. The quick snap of the impact knocked him out cold. And then there was silence, punctuated only by Asami's deep inhalations of air and the crunch of glass beneath Korra's feet as the woman ran forward to wrap strong arms around her.

A crushing hug drove the breath from her lungs and she could feel her heels lifting up off the ground. "Korra!" Asami gasped, trying to peel the woman off of her to no avail.

"Spirits, I missed you," Korra said when she finally released her, Asami wincing as her ribs twinged.

"Oh really," she replied with a skeptical tone, folding her arms. "You didn't call once in three years -"

"No telephones out in the wilderness."

"- or send any letters."

"Pens and paper weren't exactly essential travel items."

"Not even a postcard!"

"From the middle of nowhere, with love?"

Asami pursed her lips. "You look so different," she commented after a moment, and her eyes dipped to take in the woman Korra had become. Scarred, calloused hands; skin a touch darker and muscles strongly defined, results of hard labour beneath a relentless sun; if even possible, her traditional Water Tribe vest clung more tightly to the generous swell of her chest, and of course, she was on her feet again.

"Good different?" Korra asked.

Asami reached up to play her fingers through short, dark locks. "Yeah," she replied with a smile. "I think I like it."

Korra grinned. "I'm taking you out for lunch," she declared on the spot.

"Lunch can wait," Asami said, peering closely at the uneven ends of the woman's hair. She didn't even need to ask whether Korra had been cutting it herself. "You and I need to catch up over a pair of scissors."

A chorus of groans caught their attention and both women looked around the carriage, men haphazardly lain here, there and everywhere.

"I don't usually clean up the mess, I just make it," Korra said with a slant to her mouth.

Asami smirked. "Well, you'd better get some practice in, Avatar."

"Right," she said. "Oh, and sorry about your train."

Asami blinked as Korra lifted her hands and the carriage unwound itself, ribbons of metal snaking through the air and descending on the unconscious and slowly waking occupants. Wrists and ankles were bound securely together, far beyond the strength of the men to break.

"Wait, they were with me," Asami cut in when Korra made to truss up her investors. "They're okay."

"I was just trying to squeeze a few pounds out of them," Korra replied.

Asami cocked an eyebrow at her.

"What? It'll do them some good."

"Stop it," Asami chided. "Be nice, after all they're paying for your party."

"My what?"

"You don't just turn up out of the blue after three years and expect me not make a fuss about it, Korra."

The Avatar showed teeth. "You really missed me, huh."

All Asami offered was a warm smile in return.


End file.
